


The Stars and All Their Courage

by OrpheusSong, ThirteenSocks



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Gen, M/M, Pre-Kerberos Mission, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-08
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2019-07-27 23:18:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16229369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrpheusSong/pseuds/OrpheusSong, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThirteenSocks/pseuds/ThirteenSocks
Summary: As the launch for the Kerberos mission looms closer, Shiro takes a quiet night to reflect on what he'll be leaving behind, and what he'll look forward to returning to.





	The Stars and All Their Courage

The night is quiet and the sky clear, in the way that only a winter sky can be, each star crisp against the infinite black, nothing moving across the horizon below. December’s cold bite has settled deep into the soil of the desert, the chill of it seeping through Shiro’s boots where they rest against a large rock, while the light breeze slices its way through his jacket, sending a shiver to his core. He’d brought a blanket along, but it’s bundled around Keith’s shoulders, his chin burrowed into the plush folds of the thick material, hiding from winter’s plucking grasp. He’s deep in slumber, the stress of finals week clearly having caught up with him, and Shiro doesn’t have the heart to disturb that peaceful look on Keith’s face. The lines between his brows are finally smooth and relaxed, and Shiro thinks he could spend forever watching that face. As much as he would have liked sharing the blanket’s embrace, braving the cold was worth it to let Keith have this moment of undisturbed rest.    
  
Instead he takes a sip from the large thermos, the rich velvet of hot cocoa serving to banish the worst of the shivers. He ignores the way the weight of the full container makes his hand tremble, the ache starting in his wrist and traveling slowly up his arm to lodge into his shoulder with a burn that does nothing to provide actual warmth. He turns his eyes back to the sky; it wasn’t too long ago that they’d been out here in the middle of the desert surrounding the Garrison, stargazing, talking about the future…about Kerberos. The mission.   
  
“There it is…Kerberos.” Shiro had said softly, his stormy gaze turned up to the sky, hand reaching out to the section of the night he’d given almost every waking moment of attention to after the mission announcement. Kerberos had crept into his dreams, and it was with a mixture of excitement and nerves that he considered the distant moon; it wasn’t visible without a telescope, but Shiro knew the trajectory by heart now.   
  
“I know where Kerberos is, Shiro. I’m also enlisted in the Garrison, last I checked.” His voice sounded harsh, and Shiro had winced, feeling a twinge of…maybe guilt…but Keith still aimed the telescope, still looked through the optics, at Shiro’s far off destination.     
  
He was silent, giving Keith time to cool off, time to take the bite from his tongue. Silence for Shiro to collect his thoughts. They’d put this off too long; more specifically, Shiro had been putting it off, despite Keith’s repeated attempts to address the weight between them. The press of the impending mission…of the impending goodbye. Keith was young, made of courage and born of fire, but he still always managed to stop his onward rush just before he burned Shiro.    
  
Keith was a braver man than Shiro would ever be, facing his demons without backing down, while Shiro tended to push them aside until they could no longer be avoided. And with Kerberos looming on the horizon, just weeks away, he knew this was one conversation he could not ignore any longer.    
  
“Keith, we…should talk about this.”    
  
“Talk about what? The weather, or do you finally want to talk about the fact that you’ll be leaving the planet in a few weeks. That you’ll be gone for a year? Or maybe you finally want to talk about your illness? How your body is literally breaking down? I thought ‘now isn’t the time’...that I ‘shouldn’t worry about it’ too much.” He doesn’t pull away from the telescope, but the way his shoulders bunch up speaks volumes.    
  
It was fair.    
It stung, but it was fair.   
He couldn’t deny that even now, his joints were aching, his arms trembling with the strain of a long day. Most nights, the burning pain in his back would wake him at least once…but Keith didn’t need to know that…it was his burden to bear.

  
  
“This mission means a lot to me, Keith…I-”   
  
“I know that Shiro!” Keith snapped, cutting him off with the passion that Shiro had come to expect from the cadet. Shiro waited, sensing that there was more to it. There usually was with Keith, if he was given the chance to express himself.   
  
“I…I want you to go. I would never ask you to stay, because I know what this mission means to you…” his voice was tight, but the anger gave way to something softer. He finally turned to look at Shiro, and his eyes seemed to catch the light of every star, glimmering with the shine of unshed tears in the darkness. “I-I just… I’m- It’s gonna be awhile. You’re gonna be out there in space with no way to contact home regularly…with no hospitals, and…I’m just worried about you…mostly, I’m going…to miss you.” He managed, his voice so quiet that for a moment Shiro wondered if he had heard it.    
  
That stung in a different way.    
  
“Shiro, you’ve earned this. Stop feeling guilty, ok? Adam- he’s gonna realize that he was wrong to try and make you stay…he’ll see how lucky he was, and-and you’ll come back to him, I know it.” Keith scrubbed at his eyes, swallowing down a hiccup of a sob. Shiro felt his heart twist at the raw display.     
  
Shiro reached out and squeezed his shoulder. “That means a lot to me, Keith…but, this isn’t about Adam. He made his choice, and I’ve made mine.” Shiro closed his eyes. Adam had made his choice.    
  
“I want you to have this so much, Shiro…but…I’m just…I’m going to miss you so much. I don’t know what I’ll do without you.” Keith had tried to laugh a little, but it came out as more of a sob than anything.   
  
“You’re going to do great, Keith. Keep working hard and the next mission, we’ll go together. Just focus, try to be patient, and you’ll get there. I know you will, Keith.” A pretty sentiment, and Shiro would love it, if it were true, but there won’t be a next mission for him. They both know that, but Keith keeps quiet on the matter.    
  
“Yes, sir. Anything you say, sir.” He says instead, his voice mimicking a military cadence.    
  
“Watch it, cadet.” Shiro rolls his eyes, but playfully bumps shoulders with Keith. They chuckle. “Me, too, though.”   
  
“Hm?”    
  
“I’m going to miss you, Keith…but don’t think for a minute that this is goodbye forever. I will always come back. You have my word.” Shiro says softly, turning to gaze back into the night. He can sense Keith’s eyes on him still, but the cadet doesn’t say anything in return. The silence is relaxed now, the air no longer heavy with unaddressed emotion. The goodbye will still be bittersweet when it comes, but Shiro will be back, and Keith will be right here waiting when he returns.    
  
It’s a thought that gives him a warm feeling in his chest, and they had spent the rest of the night talking about Shiro’s hopes for the mission, and Keith’s bright future with the Garrison.  It had been a good night.   
  
Looking through the telescope now, weeks later, he sees it. Kerberos. His future. It draws him in with a gravity all its own, despite the distance. His last mission.    
  
Just a few days more, and he will be piloting his way through the stars deeper than any human has gone before. Neither the cold of night nor the ache of his body can numb the buzz of excitement and anticipation he feels.    
  
By his side, Keith stirs but doesn’t wake. He mumbles something softly in his sleep, and Shiro wonders for a moment how the cadet can sleep in the cold like this. He knows how hard Keith pushed himself for finals, getting top scores, making good on his word to Shiro that he would work hard to join him in the stars. Keith’s exhausted. He’ll need to be carried to the car, blanket bundle and all.    
  
Keith’s brows knit together as he shifts again, and Shiro thinks he hears Keith mutter ‘Don’t go.’ before he burrows deeper into the blanket. Shiro gently brushes some of Keith’s unruly hair away from his face, his heart hurting just a little.    
  
“Just a few more minutes.” He whispers to Keith. He wants to enjoy their time together for as long as he can.   
  
  


 

**Author's Note:**

> Big fat thanks to Orpheus, who has been a joy to work with on this! This is our submission to the NOVA Zine. Best of luck to any and all applicants, this is a great ship and a great fandom. We’ve done some incredible work with the Hana zine, let’s keep showing the world what love can do!
> 
> Socks (and the very lovely Orpheus.)


End file.
